Little Fish Review

"Little Fish" reviews

Movie

Little Fish

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-07-18 15:54:08

Provider

Review

Cate Blanchett is synonymous with roles in period dramas, but, here, in her first Australian role since 1997's Oscar and Lucinda, she plays someone of her own age and speaks in her own accent – although that is where all resemblances to the actress end.

After all, Blanchett's character Tracy Heart is a former heroin addict who, having gone straight, has moved in with her mother (Noni Hazlehurst) and acquired a job in a video shop. Trouble is, Sydney's streets are littered with junkies; her own brother Ray (Martin Henderson) is caught up in the drugs trade; her father figure, Lionel (Hugo Weaving), is immersed in heroin; and ex-boyfriend and partner in smack, Jonny (Dustin Nguyen), has arrived back in town after a four year-stay in Canada. Then there's vicious local crime lord Brad 'The Jockey' Thompson (Sam Neill), out of whose clutches she attempts to keep Lionel.

Tracy has the chance to forge a new life for herself when her boss decides to expand his business and invites her to buy in as part owner. She, however, can't persuade the bank to give her a loan, thanks to her reputation for writing dodgy cheques.

All of which makes Little Fish sound like a jumbled mess. But this is a film which finds space for all its characters and – despite the rather melodramatic ending involving Brad and his slippery assistant – Little Fish functions as a deadly reminder of the hold that heroin can have upon its users even after they have seen the error of their ways.